DIVA PAGES

We're so thrilled to have the amazingly talented Eloisa James blogging with us today here at popculturedivas. She is one of my absolute favourite historical romance authors ;). New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James is the author of 18 gorgeous novels (the newest one she'll be chatting about right here!) and two novellas. Eloisa writes historical romances for HarperCollins Publishers. Her novels have been published to great acclaim. A reviewer from USA Today wrote of Eloisa's very first book that she "found herself devouring the book like a dieter with a Hershey bar"; later People Magazine raved that "romance writing does not get much better than this." Her novels have repeatedly received starred reviews from Publishers' Weekly and Library Journal and regularly appear on the best-seller lists.

After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Currently she is an associate professor and head of the Creative Writing program at Fordham University in New York City. Her "double life" is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.

Pop Culture is chock-a-block with Cinderellas, if you think about it. Practically every beauty commercial shows a Cinderella-like transformation, in which a girl turns into a prince’s dream, albeit with the help of shampoo rather than a magic wand. So why would I bother to write a version of my own?

Because Cinderella is everywhere in pop culture for a reason: it speaks to a dream that’s deep in our culture—a transformative promise that came right along with the pilgrims who founded America. It’s a fundamental part of our makeup to believe that any one of us could become rich, famous, beautiful. In short: a princess.

When I was dreaming up A Kiss at Midnight, I decided that the crucial part of the book had to be my heroine’s transformation from drab to delicious. Kate is a tough, funny young lady who’s been living with her stepmother and stepsister, and making the best of a terrible situation. She’s thin and tired, with huge cheekbones and shadowed eyes.

I had a wonderful time describing the evening in which Kate puts on the perfect gown, the perfect makeup, the perfect hairstyle—then looks in the mirror and almost doesn’t recognize herself. What fun! My hope is that my Cinderella speaks to the heart of every one of us. Who doesn’t still wishes for a perfect night at a dance? (I don’t know about you, but my prom was not as fabulous as it could have been!) A KISS AT MIDNIGHT comes out on July 27th, and I hope you enjoy every page.I’m going to finish this blog with an invitation. My publisher got together with Barnes & Noble, and they are giving away two fabulous electronic readers: B&N’s Nook. One Nook plus a $50 gift card to B&N is being given away on my Facebook fan page please link: http://www.facebook.com/EloisaJamesFans, as long as I reach 15,000 fans by August 3rd, so please do “like” my page and tell your friends as well! The second is being given away on my website, http://www.eloisajames.com.

So let me ask you this. If you give yourself two chances to win a Nook, and you WIN—what book will you download with your $50 gift card? What have you been waiting for? XX commenters will receive….

HOW TO WIN:

1. Become my fan on Facebook!

If you are not already my fan, I invite you to join me on Facebook, where I frequently report on my adventures in Paris and post the latest Eloisa James news. Becoming a fan is worthwhile in and of itself, but now there is a major incentive: Between now and August 3rd, I am giving away a Nook and $50 Barnes and Noble gift card to one lucky fan.

Here’s the catch: In order to give away this fantastic prize, I need to reach the goal of 15,000 Facebook fans by August 3rd! Help me—tell your friends and spread the word.

2. Show me your favorite fairy tale shoe!

A Kiss at Midnight is my spin on the classic Cinderella story. One of my favorite elements of the fairy tale is the infamous glass slipper that helps Cinderella win her true love. In the spirit of transformative, fantastical footwear, I want to see your favorite fairy tale shoes—whimsical, imaginative, and fit for a storybook or real-life heroine. I think this contest will be a blast. Truly, who doesn’t love a great pair of shoes?

Hi Eloisa! So excited to have you with us today! And looking forward to reading your new release A KISS AT MIDNIGHT. It sounds like so much. And you're back in REGENCY ENGLAND! YAY! but I loved your DESPERATE DUCHESS SERIES. Any future GEORGIAN books planned?

Fun contest! I loved the shoes designed by the character in PS I Love you - very original. I couldn't find a picture but here's a pair Cinderella might drool over: http://high.heels.com/images//kanata-500x500.jpgWho doesn't love a good Cinderella story? Such a fun premise, I'm looking forward to reading A Kiss at Midnight.Just fanned you on FB. My TBR wish list is pages long!

Oh how fabulous to have you here today! And oh so true about the Cinderella in all of us - how ironic that we should shun royalty in favor of a president in this country - only to strive to each become royalty. It seems the real American dream is to be "big, rich and famous" - and growing up near Disneyland I must add - at least a Disney princess. :)

Hi, Eloisa! I'm looking forward to reading "A Kiss at Midnight" since it's a stand alone book. In your series, some of my favorite characters are woven throughout the books, like Esme and Villiers (I like Mayne, too, but I like Darlington better).

I'm sorry I didn't manage to check in yesterday. It took us all morning to trudge down the four flights (and 92 stairs) and back up (!) and down and up to get all our luggage out of the apartment and into the car. And then we drove four hours out of Paris... and had a amazing dinner with champagne to celebrate survival. After all, I couldn't make the computer work last night. Miracle! It works fine this morning. *g*

Hi Joanna! Thanks for having me -- And no, I don't have any Georgian books planned at the moment. Many readers have asked me to write some books about the children in the Desperate Duchesses series, but that would place them in the Regency as well, more or less. At the moment, I'm deep in fairy tales. When Beauty Tamed the Beast comes next, in February, and I'm writing a version of the Princess and the Pea.

Thank you for fanning me on Facebook, Cate!

Vanessa, I have to admit that the broken elevator was a) good for my diet and b) good for killing my Paris-nostalgia.

Kathy, you are SO right! Disney has drifted into every dream a girl has these days.

I will check back later and see if anyone has a follow-up...again, my apologies for not being in the room (so to speak) yesterday! Now I have to get my children into a car (ug) and set off for Florence...